Notes on Stateless Societies, Songhay Kingdom, Congo societies (Swahili Coast?) Some African societies had rulers of hierarchy of officials but others had Stateless Societies. They lack political structure but were organized around obligation forms. · Larger and move extensive neighboring state (powerful) · They had government, but authority and power were exercised by family councils or communities with no taxation to the population. (state-building) vs. Governments with rulers/ courts no tax to support army, nobles, ruler, and bureaucrats o Government of little concentration of authority and power over a small part of peoples’ lives o Government rarely were full–time occupation (not very serious) · Alternate government like secrets societies of men and women controlling customs and beliefs and limited ruler’s authority. (West African forest) o It was used to cut along family lineage divisions o Settled disputes, maintain a community’s stability, and served as a state’s alternative authority institution · These societies thriving, it aided to the internal social pressures or disputes could resolve, allowing differences to resist external pressures, warfare mobility, organize large building projects, or create stable condition for people of continuous long-distance trade.
Songhay kingdom · Dominated the middle of Niger valley from successor state · The societies consisted of “masters of the soil”: farmers and herders and “master of waters”: fishers · 7th century it was an independent kingdom (Berber dynasty) 1010, capital Gao (Niger River) was a large city with a resident foreign merchant communities and several mosques. · Rulers were Muslims thought most were pagan · Sunni Ali was empire and forged Songhay o Tactical and ruthless leader o Expanded borders and seized traditional trading cities with his cavalry o Provincial administration to mobilize army recruits and rule far-flung conquests · A line of Muslim rulers succeeded, like Muhammad the Great further extended the boundaries to central Sudan · Society: There was a fusion of Islamic and Pagan population and traditions. · End of 16th century, 1591 Moroccan/ Muslim army defeated and ended the Songhay · Political and cultural tradition in westernSudancontinued. Hausa Nigerian combined traditions, Learning systems and social, political, and religious · After Sudan Muslim penetration o Merchants established in major trading cities, and religious communities o Networks of trade and contract o Muslim traders, herders, warriors and religious leaders were important minorities in these segmented African societies (scattered) o Families of traders and lineages were “specialist” of Muslim law (spread)
Congosocieties (of?) Swahili Coast · (Kongo) it began in 13th century, lower Congo River. · Late 15th century, it flourished · Agricultural based the development of skills of weaving, pottery, blacksmithing and carving. (wood, copper, and iron highly esteem) · Labor division of men and women. o Men would clear forest, producing of palm oil and wine, house building, hunting, and long-distance trade o Women would care for domestic animals and household duties. Seacoast, collect salt, seashells: currency. · Populations of small family-based villages. Mbanza Kongo was the capital · Power/ kingship were from hereditary. First a confederation of smaller states by the king by 15th century was divided into 8 major provinces ·
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Migrants began to build stone houses, like the Great Zimbabwethat provided more polished construction. o Center of kingdom with religious importance (bird of God) o Most sophisticated in 14th and 15th century o Centralized state from, controlling large portions of the southeast Africa to Indian Ocean. · Late 15th rapid expansion but short · Gold was dominant, leading to great commerce. · Flourish and powered in trade with gold · Internal divisions and rebellion split the kingdom in the 16th century
(SwahiliCoast: Trade ports of Islamicized African that across the Indian Ocean. Through this cities were Islmaicized, Bantu Swahili language and African Customs were very strong that represented cultural fusion, limited to the Coast.?)
Some African societies had rulers of hierarchy of officials but others had Stateless Societies. They lack political structure but were organized around obligation forms.
· Larger and move extensive neighboring state (powerful)
· They had government, but authority and power were exercised by family councils or communities with no taxation to the population. (state-building) vs. Governments with rulers/ courts no tax to support army, nobles, ruler, and bureaucrats
o Government of little concentration of authority and power over a small part of peoples’ lives
o Government rarely were full–time occupation (not very serious)
· Alternate government like secrets societies of men and women controlling customs and beliefs and limited ruler’s authority. (West African forest)
o It was used to cut along family lineage divisions
o Settled disputes, maintain a community’s stability, and served as a state’s alternative authority institution
· These societies thriving, it aided to the internal social pressures or disputes could resolve, allowing differences to resist external pressures, warfare mobility, organize large building projects, or create stable condition for people of continuous long-distance trade.
Songhay kingdom
· Dominated the middle of Niger valley from successor state
· The societies consisted of “masters of the soil”: farmers and herders and “master of waters”: fishers
· 7th century it was an independent kingdom (Berber dynasty) 1010, capital Gao (Niger River) was a large city with a resident foreign merchant communities and several mosques.
· Rulers were Muslims thought most were pagan
· Sunni Ali was empire and forged Songhay
o Tactical and ruthless leader
o Expanded borders and seized traditional trading cities with his cavalry
o Provincial administration to mobilize army recruits and rule far-flung conquests
· A line of Muslim rulers succeeded, like Muhammad the Great further extended the boundaries to central Sudan
· Society: There was a fusion of Islamic and Pagan population and traditions.
· End of 16th century, 1591 Moroccan/ Muslim army defeated and ended the Songhay
· Political and cultural tradition in western Sudan continued. Hausa Nigerian combined traditions, Learning systems and social, political, and religious
· After Sudan Muslim penetration
o Merchants established in major trading cities, and religious communities
o Networks of trade and contract
o Muslim traders, herders, warriors and religious leaders were important minorities in these segmented African societies (scattered)
o Families of traders and lineages were “specialist” of Muslim law (spread)
Congo societies (of?) Swahili Coast
· (Kongo) it began in 13th century, lower Congo River.
· Late 15th century, it flourished
· Agricultural based the development of skills of weaving, pottery, blacksmithing and carving. (wood, copper, and iron highly esteem)
· Labor division of men and women.
o Men would clear forest, producing of palm oil and wine, house building, hunting, and long-distance trade
o Women would care for domestic animals and household duties. Seacoast, collect salt, seashells: currency.
· Populations of small family-based villages. Mbanza Kongo was the capital
· Power/ kingship were from hereditary. First a confederation of smaller states by the king by 15th century was divided into 8 major provinces
·
o Center of kingdom with religious importance (bird of God)
o Most sophisticated in 14th and 15th century
o Centralized state from, controlling large portions of the southeast Africa to Indian Ocean.
· Late 15th rapid expansion but short
· Gold was dominant, leading to great commerce.
· Flourish and powered in trade with gold
· Internal divisions and rebellion split the kingdom in the 16th century
(Swahili Coast: Trade ports of Islamicized African that across the Indian Ocean. Through this cities were Islmaicized, Bantu Swahili language and African Customs were very strong that represented cultural fusion, limited to the Coast.?)